Motorola Citrus hits Verizon November 11 for $50

It’s not exactly going to shake the Android marketplace to its core, but Motorola’s new Citrus should make an interesting bargain splash when it arrives on Verizon tomorrow, November 11. Priced at $49.99 (after a $100 mail-in rebate, and assuming a new, two-year data contract), the Citrus has a compact 3-inch touchscreen, rear-mounted BACKTRACK trackpad and is made from 25-percent post-consumer recycled plastic.

There’s also MOTOBLUR running on top of Android 2.1, Swype and EVDO Rev.A, along with various Bing replacements to Google’s services. Inside lurks a 528MHz Qualcomm MSM7225 processor.

Full-Touch, Customizable, Android-Powered Smartphone Now Available for Verizon Wireless Customers

BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and LIBERTYVILLE, IL — Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation’s largest and most reliable wireless 3G network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that Motorola CITRUS™ will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com tomorrow for $49.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.

Powered by Android™ 2.1, Motorola CITRUS delivers an affordable, entry-level, customizable smartphone experience in a compact design that is easy on both the eyes and the earth. The full HTML Web browser comes preloaded with Bing Search and Bing Maps and delivers a PC-like Web browsing experience, while the easy-to-use on-screen QWERTY keyboard or Swype® keyboard allow for quick messaging. Get fast access to Web apps and services such as Facebook®; Google services such as Gmail™, Google Talk™ and YouTube™; and customize your phone with free and paid apps available from Android Market™. Plus, the CITRUS phone housing is made from 25 percent post-consumer recycled plastic, is CarbonFree® Certified through an alliance with Carbonfund.org, and is PVC and BFR free. The packaging is made from 80 percent post-consumer recycled paper, and the user manual is made using 100 percent recycled paper and soy-based ink. Additional features and specifications on the Motorola CITRUS are available at http://news.vzw.com/news/2010/10/pr2010-10-05a.html.

Verizon Wireless customers who purchase Motorola CITRUS will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. Motorola CITRUS customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide plan (beginning at $39.99 monthly access) and a Data Package (beginning at $15 monthly access for 150 MB). Customers can track their data usage by downloading the My Verizon app available in Android Market or by logging on to their My Verizon account online at www.verizonwireless.com/myverizon. For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.